Last month, The Wallis Annenberg hosted the physical world premiere of Jake Broder’s UNRAVELLED. I say physical, because this production actually had an online showing during the pandemic. I couldn’t really tell you what is similar or possibly different between the two. But the Wallis’ official presentation certainly had impact. And directed by James Bonas with a truly magnificent cast (some of which I’m told appeared in the former) what could have been merely a “play” displays some genuine “brain science” resonance.
Academic or something more?
A part of me wanted to say that UNRAVELLED was completely academic. That not a lot of action takes place in this play. That mostly, we are presented with reconstituted Wiki-like neuroscientific information. But then, that is playwright Jake Border’s intention with this production. UNRAVELLED is in fact, among so many other things, a national initiative highlighting dementia. It is inspired by the true stories of Anne Adams and Maurice Ravel. And it most exceptionally combines live performance, scientific outreach, and transformative art in order to offer creative insight on how the brain changes.
Some of the other aspects of this play that excite me is that so much dense information is able to be unpacked into a digestible theatrical form. I dare say, from readings and other productions that have been popping up all over the country, it’s a growing trend that we will be seeing more of. Especially that we are now in the A.I. era, and sciences are playing much more focused roles in the daily lives of ordinary people.
Some recent examples sparking awareness are LaMaMa’s BIRTH & CARNAGE that combines dance and astrophysics fusion as a metaphor for the human condition. Another would be Lauren Gunderson’s recent, ANTHROPOLOGY at Rogue Machine which hones in on the evolution of artificial intelligence. Or INVISIBLE, written by a genuine NASA scientist that discusses, very cleverly and comically, the existential threat of climate change. All of these instances are not only finding legitimacy in theater right now. They are creating science as a dedicated space.
Local Talent
The other aspect is seeing hyper local acting talent on The Wallis stage. Something I don’t recall happening very often on the larger Los Angeles stages. Yay us! Lucy Davenport, Andrew Borba, Leo Marks, Tracey A. Leigh and Larry Poindexter are sincerely capable talents that exceed expectations in UNRAVELLED. They frame the story with empathy and give voice to what was until now, almost “un-voice-able.” A highly potent description in the case of the subjects of this play. Both Ravel and Adams develop Aphasia which leaves them unable to communicate – except for a time through their art.
UNRAVELLED is a rather beautiful construct for its characters. It juxtaposes the communicative power of art with the powerlessness of people who are unable to communicate. And Broder has found a sincere niche inside the exponential construct. Paired with the music of Ravel’s “Bolero” which is central to his unravelling theme, and Adams’ timeless art, UNRAVELLED demonstrates the invincibility of the human spirit.
Highly Recommended
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UNRAVELLED created and written by Jake Border.
Directed by James Bonas. Music & Sound Design by Mark Grey. Produced by Cath Britton.
Cast: Lucy Davenport, Andrew Borba, Leo Marks, Tracey A. Leigh, and Larry Poindexter.
Musicians: Aron Kallay, Randy Gloss (Percusion), Rachel Iba (Violin), Michelle Elliott Rearick (Cello), and Nathaniel Edison (Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Oboe, Dizi).
Movement Director: Cydney Uffindell-Phillips. Set Design: Emma Kingsbury. Video Design: Adam Larsen. Lighting Design: Masha Tsimring. Costume Design: Molly Irelan. Stage Manager: Rose Tablizo. Production Manager: Kerstin Heinrich. Outreach Director: Samantha Rose Williams.
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